Monitoring Faults

---

Vocab: Creep Meters- a device that measures how much a fault has moved
Laser-Ranging Device- records movement in the faults uses reflector and laser -
Tiltmeters- measures how much the fault has tilted
Satellite Monitors- uses radar to show an image of the fault's movement

Outline

---

Devices that Monitor Faults

• geologists invented new instruments
  • use many instruments to record ground movement that occur along faults

Creep Meters

• device that measure every time the fault is moving
  • measures horizontal movement

Laser-Ranging Devices

• a device that uses a laser and a reflector to determine the fault's movements
  • calculates change in time
    • detect change in distance

Tiltmeters

• device that measures tilting of ground
• carpenters level
  • like tiltmeter
• Geologists
  • look at scale
    • measure amount of tilt on scale

Satellite Monitors

• bounces radio waves off ground
  • echoes back to space
    • satellite records them
    • distance to satellite changes

Monitoring Risk in the United States

• use devices to try and predict earthquakes
  • geologist predict where earthquakes will happen from past experience
• stress
  • along faults
    • stress increases
• Earthquakes
  • risk is highest in United States
  • very dangerous
  • few places are minor

Back To Homepage